Video game sales fell 42% percent in April, with total industry sales falling to $630.4 million from $930.9 million a year ago, according to market researcher NPD Group. The early Easter holiday this year may have contributed to the lower than expected sales numbers along with a relatively light game release schedule for the month.

Video game sales fell 25 percent in March, with total industry sales falling to $1.10 billion from $1.47 billion a year ago, according to market researcher NPD Group. That happened despite the launch of sci-fi blockbuster Mass Effect 3 from Electronic Arts on March 6.

Video game sales are expected to grow from $66 billion worldwide in 2010 to $81 billion by 2016, but that growth masks some profound changes that are happening in the industry. Namely, the world will shift from sales of games in physical stores to a wide variety of digital distribution methods, according to market researcher DFC Intelligence.